2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport on 2040-cars

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Google shows off its Android Auto system

Cars fitted with the Apple CarPlay system should be in dealerships next year, available as a delayed option on the 2015 Hyundai Sonata and eventually expected to be available on Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari vehicles. Google isn't that far behind with its Android Auto, and after Hyundai showed it off at the LA Auto Show, Google Developers used their Dev.Bytes program give us a better look at it. Any phone with Lollipop 5.0, the latest version of Android, will be able to interface with the system after being plugged into the car's USB port. The Google Now cards you're familiar with on the phone will appear on the infotainment screen, and from there you're in a mobile Android world. A report in Edmunds says that Whatsapp will be an option from the start, and nifty Google tricks like "contextual search via voice control" respond to queries based on what's being discussed. Although Bloomberg recently did a video examining the Google vs. Apple question, your choice won't be binary; in Hyundais, at least, both systems will be fitted, plugging a phone in will decide which one comes up on screen. We don't know when we'll see it dealerships, but the video will give you a glimpse into your Android future.

All new Hyundai Elantra revealed in Korea

After thoroughly teasing the next-generation Elantra, Hyundai is finally unveiling its latest sedan for the South Korean market (where it's called the "Avante"). While the names might be different, expect the revised model to look just like this for the North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Although, the powertrain range might be tweaked when crossing the Pacific. Hyundai is reworking the swoopy Fluidic Sculpture design language into a sleeker, simpler shape for the latest Elantra, and the company calls the new direction "Modern Premium." Up front, there's a big hexagonal grill to grab attention, and it's matched with squinting headlights on each side. The roof now simply flows back elegantly to the trunk, and the sides are left largely unadorned beyond an understated crease along the shoulders. At the rear, narrowing taillights stretch horizontally across the trunk. Also, while the upgraded styling is meant to make the Elantra look low and wide, the dimensions grow less than an inch in length and width. Beneath the upgraded design is a revised platform that's made of 53 percent advanced high strength steel, versus 32 percent before. The result is a stiffer frame that Hyundai claims leads to better crash test results and lower NVH. Drivers get added security from a safety suite that includes autonomous emergency braking, high beam assist, blind spot detection, and rear cross traffic alert. Hyundai is clear that powertrains can vary with region, but South Koreans get three choices in the Avante. A 1.6-liter gasoline-fueled four-cylinder offers 130 horsepower and 119 pound-feet of torque, and a 1.6-liter diesel makes 134 hp and 221 lb-ft. There's also a 2.0-liter petrol mill running on the Atkinson cycle that produces 147 hp and 132 lb-ft. Rumors suggest North America might get the turbocharged 1.6-liter from the latest Tucson with 175 hp and 196 lb-ft. Hyundai Motor Holds World Premiere of All-new Elantra in Korea 09 September, 2015 • Hyundai Motor's best-selling model evolves with innovative design • Award-winning compact sedan inspires driver confidence with enhanced performance and stable handling • Class-leading convenience and safety features are tailored to customer needs September 9, 2015 – Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea's largest automaker, today unveiled the 'All-new Elantra (named Avante in Korea)', a sophisticated evolution of the brand's long-established compact sedan.

Hyundai And Kia Penalized $350 Million For Overstated MPG Claims

Nearly two years after Hyundai and Kia announced they exaggerated fuel economy numbers for several of their most popular models, the two Korean automakers have paid a heavy penalty for the transgressions. The Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement Monday that will cost the two car companies approximately $350 million. The financial sum includes a $100 million fine, the largest ever levied under the Clean Air Act, and about $200 million in forfeited greenhouse-gas emissions credits. At a time when car buyers rank fuel economy as a top concern when they head to dealerships and the federal government has mandated increased efficiency, Attorney General Eric Holder said the settlement should serve as a warning to automakers not to fudge their numbers. "This will send a strong message that cheating is not profitable," he said. The settlement ends a federal lawsuit filed against the automakers in U.S. District Court, but it's important to note that it doesn't end a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of consumers. A preliminary settlement in that case, based in Los Angeles, was approved last month, but final approval isn't expected until July 2015. Officials with the EPA said the $100 million figure roughly equals the economic benefits the two companies received from exaggerating the mileage claims on the window stickers of new cars. Fuel-efficient boasts helped Hyundai and Kia establish a strong foothold in the U.S. marketplace. Advertisements for the Hyundai Elantra stated the vehicle achieved 40 miles per gallon in highway driving, and helped the car win the prestigious North American Car Of The Year honors at the Detroit Auto Show for its 2012 model. In July 2011, the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog began receiving complaints from consumers that the Elantra and other Hyundai models fell short of their stated mileage claims in real-world driving. The group wrote to the EPA and Hyundai, asking both to investigate. Government officials said Kia had overstated the mileage on its popular Kia Soul crossover by 6 miles per gallon, and more than a dozen overall models were affected. On Monday, EPA administrator Gina McCarthy said the violations were "egregious." Based on the exaggerations, the EPA calculated that Hyundai and Kia had underreported the greenhouse gas emissions of their fleets by about 4.75 metric tons over the estimated lifetime of the vehicles. That figure aided in the $200 million credit forfeiture.